Are you a doctor? ...I am TODAY.

Do you remember this TV series from the 90s?

It was called "The Pretender". 

In this story, the main character, Jarod was taken from his family as a child and raised inside a mysterious research lab called "The Centre". He grew up without a real identity, trained and studied in isolation. But of course, a good TV series would not be good without something special about the main character: Jarod was a genius. He could master any profession and like a chameleon become anyone he wanted to be. One week he was a surgeon saving lives, the next a pilot, a lawyer or a criminal investigator. And he didn’t just pretend, he actually became the real thing.

Every time Jarod stepped into a new identity, he discovered more about the world, about people and about himself.

Needless to say, I was a fan of the series when I grew up 🫠 But really, isn't it a powerful way to think of our lives also in 2025?

We may not be fictional geniuses raised in a secret lab, but we do live in a time where we can learn, adapt and reinvent ourselves without any limitations. With access to knowledge, networks and opportunities, everyone has a chance to be a “Pretender” in the best possible meaning: to learn new skills, start a new career, start a business and change, whenever heart calls for it.

Just last week I was speaking with a professional who is making a huge career change.

After 25+ years in finance, he decided to start over. He went back to university, finished a law degree, and now, in his 50s, is beginning his career as a lawyer. From zero. From scratch.

Just 20-30 years back it would have been unthinkable. Reality for so many in the generations before us. But in 2025 we can really be whoever we want in this life.

Too often, people walk along a miserable career path simply because it’s the one they once chose and they keep suffering from that decision for decades. 

But now we live in a completely different time.

🔸 A time where we are free to learn, grow and reinvent ourselves.

🔸 A time where leadership and visibility are no longer reserved for a chosen few.

 🔸 A time where social media allows each of us to share our ideas, build credibility and shape how we are seen.

As a fellow personal branding expert Mira Thimmayya says: “Thought leadership is democratized” and I just love the way she phrased it.

We don’t need to ask permission anymore. No journalists, no publishers, no gatekeepers.

We are the most fortunate generation in history able to design our happiness, make bold choices and change direction if we want to.

Jarod was a genius who could master any profession and become anyone he needed to be.

Who says we can’t? ✨